Tropical Rainforest Destruction

At 770,000 square miles (two million sq km), the Congo Basin contains an estimated 26 per cent of the world's remaining rainforest and has been described as the world's “second lung”. Logging, the spread of agriculture and human population rises are the biggest threats.It is estimated that the forest is home to 50 million people, 10,000 species of plants, 1,000 species of birds and 400 species of mammals.

A log barge travels down the river here.The Congo’s forests are very important for its inhabitants, who depend upon the rainforests to provide essential food, medicine, and other non-timber products, along with energy and building materials. A large area of forest cleared by loggers can also be seen above. The United Nations estimates that two-thirds of the forest will have vanished by the year 2040.

Look at the Guardian’s interactive page on this issue here. Click the image above.